Safeguard your family as well as provide portable power for work and play with the DuroMax XP8500E gas-powered generator, which features a 16.0-horsepower air-cooled OHV engine that cranks out 7,000 constant running watts of power (and a peak of 8,500 watts; learn more about wattage needs below). It includes both a standard recoil start as well as an easy electric start.

Includes never-flat knobby tires and flip-up handle (view larger).

Recoil start as well as electric start (view larger).

This rugged workhorse is ideal for the jobsite where powering saws, drills, and other equipment is critical, but you can also depend on it for emergencies at home–insuring your essential appliances are running smoothly, reliably, and without interruption. It’s EPA approved, and is also safe to use in U.S. National Parks thanks to the super quiet exhaust with spark arrestor.

Note for California residents: This model is not CARB-compliant. Units sold to California must be CARB-compliant.

Fully loaded power panel with electric start (view larger).

The XP8500E includes four 120-volt, 20-amp standard household outlets to supply power to all of your appliances as well as a powerful 120/240-volt, 30-amp twist lock outlet for high-powered tools. A 12-volt DC output with leads functions as a charger for batteries and other rechargeable devices. Overloads are never a problem with its dual 15-amp circuit breaker. A volt meter allows you to monitor your generator’s output range at all times, and the battery charge indicator light lets you know when the generator’s starter battery is charging.

The exclusive DuroMax RV Switch (voltage selector) allows you to get maximum power from each of the 120-volt receptacles as well as choose between operating the generator at both 120 and 240 volts simultaneously, or at 120 only with full power.

With the electric start, it’s as simple to get this generator going as turning on your car. And if the battery isn’t fully charged, you can use the single-pull recoil cord to start the generator.

The XP8500E features a heavy duty steel frame roll cage with four-point fully isolated motor mounts for smooth and quiet operation. This generator is also easily portable thanks to the wheel kit with a flip-up, stow-away handle. The 10-1/2-inch all-terrain, never flat tires offer the flexibility and looks of a pneumatic tire without the rigidity of a solid tire–improving the mobility across both soft ground and hard surfaces.

You’ll get up to 8 hours of run time (at 50 percent) from a 7-gallon tank of fuel. Other features include a super-quiet muffler, an advanced automatic voltage regulator (AVR) system and a low oil protection system which automatically shuts the generator off to protect it from any damage should it run out of oil. It’s backed by a one-year limited warranty.

Your Generator Needs

To determine whether a generator is appropriate for your needs, you need to first add up the wattage of tools, appliances, and motors you want to run at the same time. Then select a generator with the running wattage rating to match or exceed the total load.

Keep in mind that tools and appliances with electric motors require additional surge wattage at startup that can be double or triple the normal running wattage requirement. Look at the surge watts required and make sure you choose a generator with enough additional wattage to start them. (And remember that you’re typically not starting more than half of the items at the same time.)